This morning, we met with Meredith Glaser, a PhD candidate developing educational programs for visiting student groups, among other research. She tasked us with completing a scavenger hunt that brought us to the post-war, pre-war, and city center of Amsterdam.
The post-war area is outside of the ring road and accessible by transit, car, or bike. Tenley and I took the metro and tram to Osdorp to observe the area and interview some people at a grocery store. We were immediely struck by the scale of the streets, which were much wider and with longer blocks than areas within the city. The streets seemed to be scaled for cars rather than other modes. While there is infrastructure for walking, the long blocks make it less appealing.
We took an Uber from Osdorp (as part of the scavenger hunt), back to our hotel. I was surprised by how easy it was to drive into the city, and by the size of the roads we took. The cyclists felt very separate except for one turn across a bike lane, when the driver waited patiently before crossing the track. We visited a local playground and talked to parents about their preferred mode (biking, walking, and transit), which seem to largely be influenced by their children’s needs and the length of the trip. The parents we spoke with prioritize living in the city for the ethnic and cultural diversity.
We explored the city center last, finding refuge in the shade of the shared space behind the Central Station. While this area used to be occupied by cars (which have since been moved below ground), there is now dedicated space for bikes, mopeds, and pedestrians, as well as a shared space where the different modes must negotiate space. Observing for 10 minutes went by quickly, as I saw people skillfully flow around obstacles (pedestrians, tourists, etc.) while also maintaining their line and speed.
Beat from the long day and the heat, we headed back to the hotel to wrap up our work. I grabbed dinner at a great Indonesian restaurant before seeking out a hotel with air conditioning to get through the next couple nights.